Limitless
by patientalien
Summary: Anakin pushes himself too hard and Obi-Wan tries to get him to realize his limits. On a mission to bring down a dangerous enemy, Anakin's stubbornness puts him at risk, and a familiar face threatens to cause a rift between the Hero With No Fear and The Negotiator


**Title:** Limitless  
**Author(s):** **patientalien**  
**Artist(s):** **crescent_gaia**  
**Fandom(s):** Star Wars: The Clone Wars  
**Rating:** PG-13 for violence  
**Word Count:** 7631  
**Characters/Pairings(if any):** Anakin and Obi-Wan  
**Warnings/Spoilers:** Spoilers for the end of Season 4 of The Clone Wars  
**Summary:** Anakin pushes himself too hard and Obi-Wan tries to get him to realize his limits. On a mission to bring down a dangerous enemy, Anakin's stubbornness puts him at risk, and a familiar face threatens to cause a rift between the Hero With No Fear and The Negotiator.  
**Author's Notes:** **citizenjess** really helped with the writing process - ! Written for the **bromancestory** big bang!

* * *

As far as Obi-Wan Kenobi was concerned, the Council would do well to order an alarm to be attached to the door of Resolute's med bay. That way, when the General of said flagship went missing when he should have been recuperating, it would be noticed sooner. As it was, Anakin had been out of the med bay on his own for two hours before anyone realized he was gone. It wasn't the medics or med-droids' faults, of course - when Anakin set his mind to something, he could be downright sneaky. And Obi-Wan knew his former apprentice well enough to know that the last place he'd want to be while the adrenaline of battle wore off was laid up in bed, no matter how much he needed to be.

There were only a few places Obi-Wan would expect Anakin to have gone. He could count out the bridge, since Admiral Yularen was very skilled at getting stubborn Jedi to behave, even especially hard-headed Jedi like Anakin Skywalker. That left Anakin's own quarters and the docking bay as the most likely places and since being in his quarters would mean he was, Force forbid, _resting_, Obi-Wan narrowed his search down yet further to the Resolute's cavernous docking bay.

Sure enough, he found Anakin sprawled under his fighter, tinkering around with something Obi-Wan couldn't ever hope to be able to identify. He stood by Anakin's feet for some time while the younger man continued his work, oblivious to the presence of another Jedi in the area. Finally, Obi-Wan cleared his throat.

Anakin's gloved right hand appeared, gripping the fighter's lower edge as he pulled himself - and the hover sled he was laying on - out from under the vehicle. Grease was smeared across his face, concealing what Obi-Wan knew also to be there: the cuts and bruises of their last mission. His friend moved gingerly, putting a bracing hand against his ribs as he stood. Obi-Wan knew Anakin expected him to pretend not to notice, but Obi-Wan had seen the beating Anakin had taken, had witnessed the deprivation he'd endured for the sake of the mission. Any other time, he might let it go, but he'd been letting it go too often lately, and Anakin tended to be downright terrible at looking after his own well-being. Obi-Wan himself had been accused of the same thing from time to time, but, Obi-Wan consoled himself, nobody did ignoring medical advice like Anakin.

"Coric's beginning to think you don't like his company," Obi-Wan commented as Anakin straightened, wiping his hands down the front of his tunic despite Obi-Wan's frown.

Anakin shrugged, and rolled his shoulder with an audible popping sound. "I've had worse," he replied, voice hoarse from dehydration and over taxation of his vocal cords. "Coric's got better things to do."

"If memory serves, yours were the only major injuries - "

"Besides the fatalities," Anakin cut in. He began gathering up his tools, moving carefully but pretending not to. "I'm fine, Master." He caught himself. "Obi-Wan."

Obi-Wan let out a long breath, reeling in his frustration. Arguing at this point would do nothing; they would merely go around in circles until one of them (usually Anakin) would get angry enough to storm away. It was a frequently-done dance and they both knew their parts. Obi-Wan was determined, though, to re-write the script eventually.

However, before he could say anything else, his comm-link chimed. Leaving Anakin to his clean up, Obi-Wan turned away, activating the device. "Obi-Wan." It was Mace Windu, without preamble. "The Council needs to speak with you. Go to the ward room, and bring Skywalker."

At the sound of his name, Anakin had looked over and Obi-Wan took the opportunity to motion for the younger man to follow him. While he was sure the Council would be giving instructions on their next mission, Obi-Wan wished they would be able to have just a few days. Anakin needed the rest, loathe as he might be to admit it, and Obi-Wan wasn't sure sending him back out to the field so soon was a good idea. Then again, neither he nor Anakin had been debriefed on their last mission so the Council was unaware of Anakin's condition.

He doubted it would make a difference, anyway. Anakin would do what he wanted, just like he always did. Casting a sidelong glance at his companion, Obi-Wan motioned for him to enter the ward room. Anakin activated the holoprojector and the tiny blue images of Windu and Yoda appeared.

"Another attack have Maul and his brother made," Yoda informed them grimly.

Obi-Wan sighed. Darth Maul should have been dead ten times over and yet continued on his path of destruction in his desire for revenge. It was all very tiring. "On civilians, I presume."

"A refugee camp on Belderone," Windu replied.

"Brought to justice Maul and Oppress must be," Yoda intoned, as if this were news to Obi-Wan.

Across the table, Anakin was clenching his fists. "We'll find them, Master Yoda," he growled, eyes hooded. Obi-Wan knew Anakin was still upset about having been left out of Obi-Wan's initial confrontation with the now-half-cyborg Sith Lord, knew his friend would do everything in his considerable power to bring Maul down. Obi-Wan took stock of the set of Anakin's jaw, the way he was holding himself, the pallor of his skin, and wished they were not heading into this confrontation today. "We'll set course for Belderone immediately." Once again, Anakin was behaving in an altogether reckless manner, heading into danger without any understanding of, or care for, the consequences.

"Our sources indicate Maul and Oppress have left Belderone, but we are not certain where they have gone. It will likely be your best option to start with," Windu said.

Obi-Wan ran a hand over his beard. A brief stopover on Belderone would be a welcome respite, might give him enough time to convince Anakin to give Coric a chance to do his job, and to further convince him that Obi-Wan was perfectly capable of carrying out a mission without Anakin's assistance. He doubted either of those things would happen, though.

"We'll find them, Masters," Anakin stated with finality, and shut off the feed. "Finally!" he exclaimed, turning to Obi-Wan, eyes bright with excitement.

"Don't get too eager to go against Maul," Obi-Wan cautioned. He got a brief flash of Qui-Gon, trembling in his arms, Anakin's face superimposed over that of his old Master. He shook the image away and moved to Anakin's side, placing a hand on the young man's shoulder. "You'll need your strength for this. I suggest you go allow Coric to do his job."

Anakin scowled at him. "I'm gonna pretend you didn't say that," he replied, "because I don't need Coric."

Obi-Wan sighed. "At least come get some food with me, before we're back on ration capsules," he offered. He couldn't remember the last time he'd seen Anakin eat anything, ration capsules or otherwise, and he doubted the circumstances Anakin had been in recently had allowed much in the way of sustenance.

His friend scowled again. "I'm not hungry," he retorted, but his tone had softened slightly. "But I guess if it'll get you off my back..."

"It will," Obi-Wan promised, though he reserved the right, privately, to pester Anakin about other neglected aspects of his well-being. "Come, maybe they'll have that nerf steak you like so much."

"They never have nerf steak," Anakin groused as they walked down the hall together. Out of the corner of his eye, Obi-Wan caught Anakin stumble slightly but quickly straighten, face somewhat flushed.

"You should at least get some fever reducers," Obi-Wan suggested as they arrived at the mess hall. "It might help."

Anakin took a deep breath, waving open the door. "Just stop. I'm fine." There was a dark edge to his voice, a warning that Obi-Wan was meddling too much, was showing too much concern. It was an unspoken rule between them - Anakin was the one who was allowed to get up in arms about Obi-Wan's well-being, not the other way around.

Sure enough, the mess hall did not have nerf steak, but Anakin allowed himself to be talked into something else, which he mostly pushed around his tray and pretended not to notice Obi-Wan pretending not to notice.

It wasn't that Obi-Wan was pretending not to notice, really, it was simply a matter of picking his battles at the right times, and right now as concerned as he was, he needed Anakin speaking to him for the ordeal that was ahead of them.

Obi-Wan half expected their assignment to be yet another wild bantha chase for Maul and Oppress, but there was always the niggling feeling that this time - _this time_- it would be different. And while he was conscious of the limitations Anakin's current condition set (whether Anakin was going to follow those limitations or not), he was yet grateful he would have the young man at his side.

"We should arrive on Belderone in about ten standard hours," Anakin said around a mouthful of rice. "And _don't_," he added, leveling his fork at Obi-Wan, "tell me I should use that time to rest."

Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow. "Well, what _were_ you planning on doing with your time? Because _rest_is definitely on my agenda." Maybe if he gently let Anakin know it wasn't weakness, it would help. The boy was so proud - too proud, the Council would say.

Anakin seemed appalled by the question. "We need to plan our strategy!" he exclaimed, slamming a fist down on the table. "We can't just go into this blind, Master!"

Obi-Wan nearly choked on his tea. "Because doing things according to plan is something you're so very good at," he said. "Anakin, we do not need anything but each other for what is to come." He gave his former apprentice a warning look nonetheless. "Anything but each other, and what strength and energy we can hang onto during our journey." He leaned over the table and laid a hand against Anakin's cheek - warm with fever. "Rest, my friend," he implored.

The younger man lowered his head with a sharp exhale. "Fine," he allowed, standing. "But I'm not going to med bay." Obi-Wan supposed it was a close to victory as he was going to get.

88888

Belderone loomed in the massive view wall on the bridge of the Resolute, a brown and green island in a sea of space. Obi-Wan cast a sidelong glance at Anakin, whose hands were clasped tightly behind his back, face schooled into passivity. Obi-Wan reached out with the Force to try and determine how his friend was feeling, but was met with a solid wall across their bond. He frowned, resisting the urge to run his hand over his beard.

The closer they got to the planet, the more strongly Obi-Wan could feel the stinking tendrils of the Dark Side, the remnants of Maul's attack. He could sense the former Sith (or was Maul still a Sith? Obi-Wan wasn't sure, exactly), the destruction, the pain. Beside him, Anakin tightened his jaw. "Mind your feelings," Obi-Wan murmured, out of habit more than anything else.

"I sense a trap," Anakin responded in kind, not taking his eyes off the view wall.

Obi-Wan allowed a mild smirk to grace his features. This, at least, was comfortable. "And what, my former Padawan," he replies, still not turning, still coolly detached, "is to be done about a trap?"

"We spring it, of course, my Master," Anakin drawled.

Obi-Wan turned, placing a hand on Anakin's shoulder. "That we do, my friend," he said with a slight smile. This, then, was the crux of their partnership, the ease with which they were able to communicate, so very lacking during Anakin's apprenticeship and so easy and comfortable now. Despite the push back he was getting through their bond, never dissolved after Anakin's knighting, he knew it was because Anakin was feeling physical discomfort, not because he did not trust Obi-Wan. There had been a time when it was different, and Obi-Wan was grateful that was no longer the case.

They gave each other strength, fed off of each other's energy, complemented one another. Obi-Wan knew if he physically faltered, Anakin would be there to take over. If Anakin's words failed him, Obi-Wan could talk them out of anything. So many times had Anakin carried them both to safety, so many times had Obi-Wan negotiated a seemingly impossible peace. Obi-Wan was glad to have Anakin by his side for this; Maul a specter of his past that he had wished never to revisit. But having Anakin beside him made it feel a little less hopeless.

Anakin had been trained well. Despite his struggles with certain aspects of his training, he was a natural with a lightsaber, a master tactician. He would not make the same mistake Qui-Gon had, and he would not repeat his own mistake from Geonosis. Obi-Wan would not lose yet another being dear to him to the hands of the Sith. Not now, and never Anakin.

88888

The last time he'd fought Maul, he'd been alone. Well, not entirely alone. Asajj Ventress, a free agent now that she had been cast out of the Sith's influence, had done her considerable share. It had been, Obi-Wan was reluctant to admit, almost like having Anakin there. Though he would never say so to the young man, Ventress and Anakin shared some striking similarities, the least of which being their ferocity in battle. But Ventress was not Anakin, and while Obi-Wan had half-hoped she would have taken him up on his offer of shelter with the Jedi Order, she was one more complication to this whole situation that he was glad to be free of.

This time, he was not alone. He had Anakin, and he had a squad from the 501st. Anakin had tagged Captain Rex and a handful of others. Dangerous as it was, the refugee camp on Belderone was still in need of Republic intervention, and the clones would be able to assist in the relief efforts, even if they did not end up fighting.

As the LAAT/i screamed through the atmosphere to the surface of the planet, the darkness Obi-Wan had felt in orbit intensified. Beside him, Anakin winced and clenched his jaw.

"Bet you dinner at Dex's Maul's still on-planet," Anakin commented, obviously trying to keep his tone light.

"Bet you drinks at the Outlander that you're right," Obi-Wan replied, closing his eyes and falling into a light centering meditation. It was difficult to concentrate with the dark energy enveloping them, but it was better than nothing.

He could feel Maul down there, somewhere, his Force signature roiling and slippery. Could sense Oppress as well, somewhat dimmer, more unfamiliar. Other beings, ones he couldn't quite pinpoint but felt nonetheless like he _knew_them. Perhaps a trick of the Force, perhaps nerves he shouldn't be having.

Beside him, though, shining like a beacon of the light, was Anakin. "Be mindful," Obi-Wan repeated, feeling Anakin's focus wavering slightly.

"Roger, roger," Anakin intoned dryly. "Being mindful now." He cleared his throat, obviously trying to hold back a cough, and Obi-Wan frowned. Anakin had been doing such a good job since his short rest of pretending to be fine that Obi-Wan had nearly forgotten he wasn't.

"Are you sure?" he ventured. "You don't have to feel obligated, you can stay and help the clones." He knew what the answer would be; there was no point, really, in trying to convince Anakin otherwise.

Sure enough, Anakin awarded him with a sharp glare. "And let you face Maul alone?" he snorted. "I don't think so."

And because Obi-Wan hadn't expected anything different, he merely nodded and slipped back into his meditation.

The refugee camp was in ruins. Maul and Oppress had clearly wanted to make a statement, had clearly wanted to prove to the Jedi what lengths they would go to for revenge. Obi-Wan had to swallow bile as he and Anakin walked through the carnage. At every turn they were stopped by survivors, pleading with them for help, beseeching them for aid.

Anakin wasted no time in getting the clones set up with a makeshift infirmary, helping to round up the injured and begin triaging them. He moved purposefully, completely focused on the task. Anakin would never leave another being in pain and even though Obi-Wan could tell he was scanning the area with the Force, trying to determine Maul's location, for now, Anakin's priority was the refugees.

Sometimes Anakin's compassion and kindness made Obi-Wan feel cruel by comparison. It wasn't that Obi-Wan did not care about these people - he did, of course; he was a Jedi. It was just that, well, Anakin's level of caring was so personal, so encompassing. He could not detach the way a Jedi should and while it made him somewhat of an oddity in the Order, it was also, Obi-Wan firmly believed, what made him the great Jedi he was. Because to Anakin, duty was just something that happened alongside doing the _right thing_.

There was no middle ground with his young friend. It was all or nothing, black or white, and though Obi-Wan had tried so hard to teach him about shades of gray, it just wasn't in his nature. Either something was the right thing to do, or it was the wrong thing to do. For Anakin, now, the wrong thing to do would be to leave the refugees alone to hunt for Maul. Because while Obi-Wan knew beyond a shadow of a doubt how much Anakin also felt like apprehending (or, the Jedi Master thought dryly, _killing_) Maul was the right thing to do, the refugees wanted the hope a Jedi could bring. They wanted the hope Anakin Skywalker could bring.

Throughout the course of the war, Anakin had, somewhat to his (and Obi-Wan's) chagrin, become the face of the Republic. His image was everywhere, a symbol of the Grand Army, a symbol of the Jedi Order. Even more than Yoda, Anakin was the most recognized Jedi in the galaxy. His feats made headline news, his exploits the fodder for tabloid holonet programs. Everyone in the galaxy knew his story: slave boy plucked from obscurity to become the Hero With No Fear. He was an inspiration, and he brought hope with him wherever he went.

He was also, Obi-Wan knew, all too human. Those qualities the holonet prized - the compassion, the dedication to the war effort, the tireless bravery and heroism... He tried so hard to live up to those expectations, certain he would disappoint everyone if he faltered in any of them, if he ever failed in his self-guided mission.

The holonet reporters didn't see the other side. They didn't see Anakin as he was now, in pain and trying to hide it, exhausted but still pushing. They didn't see the nightmares, or the mercurial peaks and valleys of his moods. They saw a hero, not a man and sometimes Obi-Wan wondered if Anakin ever saw the man either.

Obi-Wan circled the camp, hand near his 'saber in case of an ambush, keeping one part of his attention on Anakin and the rest past the boundaries of the camp. He could still feel Maul out there, somewhere, could still feel the other almost-familiar beings. He half wanted to worry about what that meant, but the sensation wasn't malicious. Perhaps it meant nothing, perhaps just an echo of something else. He chose to push aside the concern and focus again on finding his quarry.

A tremor in the Force brought him outside of the relative safety of the camp's mangled fencing. He considered going back, bringing Anakin, but he could handle himself. Much as he appreciated the other man's presence, he did not need Anakin next to him at every moment.

His decision was quickly regretted, though. Once outside the fence, the illusion of safety shattered and he heard the snap-hiss of igniting lightsabers.

The two Zabrack warriors flanked him on either side. Oppress, the enormous hulking mass of muscle, and Maul, wiry, his lower half replaced entirely by cybernetics, circled him. Obi-Wan swallowed his apprehension and unhooked his 'saber from his belt. "Quite a mess you leave," he commented.

Never one for conversation, Maul merely growled at him. "You will not win this time, Kenobi."

Obi-Wan gave a slight shrug. "I seem to have a fairly good track record going for me so far," he pointed out.

Anakin always rolled his eyes at the pre-fight banter Obi-Wan engaged in, but to each their own, and it made Obi-Wan feel better to use his words as weapons as surely as he did his lightsaber. Anakin might not understand the tactic, but Anakin had his own strengths - almost none of which involved speaking.

The two struck, and Obi-Wan ducked out of the way, his lightsaber springing to life. He feinted, deflecting blows - it was difficult, but both Maul and Oppress were less than stable, and thus undisciplined. Their unpredictability made them dangerous, but for now Obi-Wan was able to defend himself.

He could feel Anakin's presence in the Force coming closer, a supernova of power. The younger man's fear was palpable, and Obi-Wan hoped Anakin would be able to reign it in. The Hero With No Fear was, ironically, very fearful at times, especially when he thought someone he cared about was in danger. And while Obi-Wan appreciated the sentiment, at the moment he really just needed Anakin doing what Anakin did best: unleashing his power on the enemy.

Sure enough, Anakin took the offensive immediately, pushing Maul back as Obi-Wan handled Oppress. Maul was furious his quarry was not alone and pushed back, trying to make Anakin give ground. Obi-Wan risked a glance out of the corner of his eye; Anakin was dripping sweat, face stark white, cheeks hollow, eyes shadowed, but he wasn't slowing down, lips pulled back from his teeth in a vicious snarl.

"They destroyed the Larty!" Anakin shouted over the sounds of lightsabers singing against each other. He grunted, planting a firm kick to Maul's chest and drew forward again. "There's a firefight topside." He grunted again, and Obi-Wan could feel the sharp sting of barely-contained rage. But it was contained, and this was Anakin. "_Grievous_."

Obi-Wan frowned, slipping to his right to avoid a blow from Oppress' saber-staff. "Interesting," he called back, "Almost like someone knew we would be here."

"Ya _think_? I _told_you this was a trap!"

Shaking his head, thoughts churning, Obi-Wan turned his attention back to his own opponent. There was nothing he could do about Grievous or the Larty right now, so focusing his energy on the setback would do no good. Oppress slammed him with the Force, and pain hit him like a starfighter to the midsection as the air was knocked out of him. He shook it off quickly; he had no time to nurse his wounds. His quick recovery set Oppress off-balance and allowed Obi-Wan go gain the upper hand.

He sank into the Force, letting it flow through him, letting it guide his blade. He was Obi-Wan Kenobi, and he was the Force, and he would do the Force's will as long as he allowed it to speak through him. He twisted and leaped and parried and charged, each step bringing him closer to his goal, and since his goal was not just triumph, but survival, the Force listened and answered.

He drove Oppress closer to Maul, closer to Anakin and the two Sith-trained Zabracks suddenly switched tactics. Maul was on him, a crazed beast, yellow eyes blazing in determination. Obi-Wan gave ground, slipping into the steading embrace of Soresu.

Beside him, Anakin gasped in pain and out of the corner of his eye, Obi-Wan saw his friend stumble backwards, arm wrapped around his ribs. He saw Oppress take his opening, letting out a howl and baring down on Anakin with a flurry of strikes. Anakin raised his saber and deflected them, but he was struggling. He sagged against an outcropping of debris, holding his 'saber up to shield his face as Oppress slammed his own against it again and again and again. Anakin closed his eyes, and Obi-Wan flung his hands out, catching both Maul and Oppress in a maelstrom of Force energy. Glancing up to see where the best place to deposit them would be, Obi-Wan caught a glimpse of a silver saucer hovering in the near distance. No matter, all he had to do was avoid hitting the ship, and it wasn't as though the craft would be able to go anywhere with the space battle raging just out of the atmosphere.

Obi-Wan _pushed_, and slammed them into the blasted-open window of one of the buildings across the square from them. Another _push_, a bit of _pull_, and the foundation began to crumble. Obi-Wan felt sweat dripping down his back with the exertion - he rarely used the Force in quite this manner; this was definitely Anakin's strength, not his. He brought his hands down quickly to his sides and the walls came down in unison, a plume of dust and dirt billowing up from where the walls had entombed the attackers.

Obi-Wan stood for a long moment, chest heaving. He closed his eyes and tried to re-center himself, reigning in the emotions he'd used to accomplish the task. He was a Jedi Master, and he felt almost like he had lost control. After his breathing slowed, he went to Anakin, trying not to rush, trying not to make it seem like he urgently, desperately, was worried for his friend. No, he was a Jedi, as was Anakin. A certain level of decorum was called for, even if no one was around to see.

"Anakin." He knelt in the dirt beside the younger man, flitting his fingertips over Anakin's forehead, over his closed eyelids, his chest. Despite his weariness, he reached out with the Force, trying to pinpoint the trouble areas - and there were so many it made his head spin. Not all, he could tell, from this recent engagement, either. "Oh, Anakin," he breathed.

Anakin's eyes slid open, unfocused. "Huh?"

Obi-Wan swallowed his nerves. "We're safe, for now," he said, frowning as the familiar, slippery specter he'd been sensing all day began to draw closer. Maul and Oppress were vanquished, for now - because Obi-Wan had no doubt they were still alive. He'd made that mistake with Maul once, and he certainly wasn't going to make it again.

"Hm, good," Anakin replied, eyes drifting closed again.

"Stay awake," Obi-Wan commanded, harshly. "Once you've been checked over by the medics, then you can nap all you want." In fact, he was planning on ordering Coric to give the young man a sedative if necessary.

Anakin scowled. "I'm fine," he snapped. "I just - I don't know what happened - but I'm fine." He braced his hands against the ground and started to push himself up. Obi-Wan stopped him with a gentle palm against his chest.

"What happened," Obi-Wan responded, "is that you are _not_fine, and that affected your performance." He was just this side of angry - Anakin had, once again, put himself needlessly at risk for the sake of what? His pride? His sense of responsibility?

Anakin's eyelids fluttered and he let out a slight sigh. "Somebody's coming," he murmured softly.

Obi-Wan turned to see the starship that had been hovering over the battle settle to the ground with a wash of dust and debris. He stood, lightsaber at the ready - with Grievous having gotten the jump on them, there was no telling what would be coming down the hatch.

And who did was not who Obi-Wan had expected.

"You look like you could use a ride," Asajj Ventress called, sauntering down the boarding ramp, hips swinging, looking for all the galaxy like this was just a normal, everyday occurrence.

Beside him, Anakin stiffened, and sprang to his feet, lightsaber called to his hand, wavering unsteadily. "Ventress!" he exclaimed, barking out a cough at the exertion. "We should have known!"

Ventress got to the end of the ramp and crossed her arms over her chest. "You still haven't told him about us, Kenobi?" she asked, teasingly. Obi-Wan frowned; there was nothing to tell about _them_, but he hadn't told Anakin that Ventress was now - well, if not _good_, at least not under the sway of the Sith any longer. At the time, he had withheld the information because he'd doubted Anakin would care. In his mind, Ventress had done too much evil to warrant forgiveness.

Anakin took two unsteady steps forward and then his hand flew to his chest, breath coming out in harsh gasps. "You're doing..." he ground out, falling to his knees and leaning forward, hands splayed in front of him.

"Anakin..." Obi-Wan looked from his former apprentice to Ventress.

"A ride and medical attention," Ventress amended, moving forward to grip one of Anakin's arms. Obi-Wan grabbed the other arm and together they hauled Anakin to his feet.

The young man moaned and gasped with a sharp crackling noise. Obi-Wan frowned, using the Force to manhandle Anakin up the boarding ramp. By the time they arrived in the small med bay, his lips were blue and he was trembling all over, coughing tightly, dry-heaving.

Obi-Wan couldn't stop the fear, now, as he slammed an oxygen mask over Anakin's nose and mouth. Fear and anger - the path to the Dark Side, Yoda had always said. But this was Anakin, and he was in pain, and Obi-Wan would be damned if he lost Anakin in such a senseless way.

Ventress powered up the med-droid while Obi-Wan settled Anakin onto the cot. "Relax," he implored. "Just breathe."

Anakin sucked in deep, rattling breaths, eyes squeezed shut. His presence in the Force was scattered, unfocused, frantic.

"Just breathe," Obi-Wan repeated, running a hand over Anakin's hair, everything else fading into the background. He ignored Ventress, ignored the med-droid running its scanner over Anakin's body, ignored everything but _them_. "Anakin." He slipped back into the Force, reaching out, using its guiding light to open up Anakin's spasming airways, massaging his lungs and heart gently.

Obi-Wan was certainly no Healer, but something was better than nothing until the med-droid was done with the scan. It seemed to take an eternity before the 'droid began filtering a breathing treatment through the mask and it was only when color began returning to Anakin's face that Obi-Wan allowed himself to breathe.

"I saw them torch the camp," Ventress informed him blandly. "I figured you'd come, thought I'd hang around in case you needed help." She gave him a wicked smile. "Looks like I was right."

Obi-Wan shook his head. He was in no mood for bantering with Ventress; usually it was a nice distraction, but it was not something he was interested in doing at the moment. "If you plan to take us back to our ship, you should know that General Grievous is currently engaging our fleet in orbit." He didn't look at her, didn't turn away from Anakin. He was regaining awareness in spurts, the mask forcing oxygen into his lungs with an eerie hissing. Obi-Wan ran a hand over his cheek.

Ventress leaned against the med bay's bulkhead, cocking her hips to the side. "My cargo's destination is Coruscant," she commented.

"We need to get back to the Resolute," Anakin rasped suddenly. "I need to be out there." He still didn't have his eyes open all the way, his chest was still heaving, but he was cognizant enough to have an opinion, which Obi-Wan took as a good sign.

"You are in _no_condition to be doing anything," Obi-Wan reminded him sharply. "So just lie there and breathe."

Now Anakin did open his eyes, somewhat cloudy with pain and fatigue. "We can't just let Grievous get away," he insisted hoarsely. "Master, we have to get back there!" A full-body tremor shook him.

"Would you mind setting a course for Coruscant?" Obi-Wan asked Ventress, hoping she would take the hint.

Ventress, to her credit, was certainly not a stupid woman. "I'll leave you two lovebirds alone," she cooed. Obi-Wan supposed he should take comfort in the fact that some things, like Ventress' appreciation for innuendo, never changed. But right now, he was in the mood for it about as much as he was in the mood to return the taunts.

As soon as she was gone, Anakin exploded in anger. "How can you trust her?" he demanded. "How can you just run from the fight? Master!" He winced as the med-droid inserted an IV line into his flesh arm.

Obi-Wan ran a hand over his beard in exasperation. "Anakin, calm yourself." This he could do - the reprimand, the reminder that, despite the fact Anakin was now a Knight and a General, he would always be Obi-Wan's apprentice first and foremost. "You are not going anywhere but the Halls of Healing until Vokara Che says you are well enough to be released."

Anakin let out a sharp puff of air, the effect marred by the oxygen mask. "There is _nothing wrong_with me!" he exclaimed.

"You almost got killed!" Obi-Wan bellowed, the small amount of patience he'd held onto evaporating in the face of Anakin's blatant refusal to see reason. Anakin Skywalker was likely the only person in the galaxy who had that effect on him, and it was maddening. "You almost got killed because of your amazingly thick-headedness!"

"Oh, _I'm_ thick-headed?" Anakin snarled. "_I'm_ not the one gallivanting around with kriffing _Ventress_!" The effort to shout made him gasp for air, hand pressed to his chest.

"That isn't the point!" Obi-Wan snapped. "Stop trying to change the subject!" It was a classic Anakin tactic - any time he felt cornered, or unfairly lectured, he did his best to deflect attention to something else - anything else.

"It _is_ the point!" Anakin insisted. "It's completely the point - how can you possibly not see how karked up it is that she's tried to _kill you_ and now you're letting her _rescue_us?" He was getting worked up again, coughing into the mask.

"Please, sir," the med-droid droned. "Your heart rate is unsteady, please keep calm."

"She saved my life the last time I went against Maul," Obi-Wan informed him, suddenly feeling very badly that they hadn't had this conversation sooner, that he hadn't simply allowed Anakin to rail at him for his apparent stupidity at a time when it wouldn't have been hazardous to Anakin's health. "She's changed, Anakin. I know the concept is a foreign one for you, but it is possible."

Anakin shook his head. "I don't trust her."

Sighing, Obi-Wan laid a hand on Anakin's arm. "I'm not asking you to," he admitted. And he wasn't - he knew deep down that he couldn't change how Anakin felt about Ventress, or about anything really. He had tried so hard throughout Anakin's training to make him think and react in ways befitting a proper Jedi, but Anakin was Anakin, and above all else, Obi-Wan wanted him to remain true to himself, because in the end Obi-Wan knew that Anakin was inherently good.

"Good," Anakin grumped, and shivered. "It's cold in here."

"Perhaps if you had allowed Coric to treat your fever the other day, you wouldn't be in this position now," Obi-Wan pointed out. He would get through to Anakin if it was the last thing he did.

"Can I sleep now?" Anakin demanded sullenly.

Obi-Wan sighed, nodded, and left Anakin to the med-droid.

88888

Pacing in the small quarters Ventress had shown him to, Obi-Wan struggled to release his frustrations into the Force. He could understand Anakin's position regarding Ventress - he hadn't been there to witness her dedication to bringing Maul and Oppress down, hadn't experienced the brightness of her Force presence now that she was no longer a Sith acolyte. Ventress had scarred Anakin's face and caused no end of trouble for both of them since the war had begun, and if Obi-Wan hadn't seen the transformation himself, he was sure he wouldn't believe it either.

No, what was bothering him was not Anakin's impressive ability to hold a grudge. The young man seemed to have absolutely no idea why his injury and illness from the previous mission was a big deal. He had no consideration for anyone else who might have been concerned about him, and he certainly wasn't concerned for himself.

Surely he wasn't unaware of the damage the last mission had done. Surely he wasn't so bantha headed that he was unable to make the leap of logic to determine that what had happened to him would have lasting effects.

With a sudden realization, Obi-Wan returned to the med bay. "Do you want to talk about what happened?" he asked as soon as he determined Anakin was awake.

Anakin blinked at him blearily. "What happened when?" he asked. "MD gave me something. I'm feeling _much_better now." He gave Obi-Wan a dopey smile. "So we can go back and fight Grievous now. Please."

Obi-Wan used the Force to pull a chair up to the side of the bed, ignoring Anakin's amused smirk at his apparent disregard for his own 'don't use the Force for frivolous things' rule. "I get the feeling you won't feel as chipper once whatever that is wears off," he replied. Reaching up, he ran a hand down Anakin's cheek. "Anakin, please, if you need to talk about the last mission..."

Anakin closed his eyes and nuzzled his face into Obi-Wan's hand. In his time as Anakin's Master, and perhaps even more so as his friend, Obi-Wan had learned that Anakin's emotions were at times so overwhelming that he could barely put words to his feelings. While Obi-Wan had been taught from a very young age to give his emotions over to the Force, it was never something Anakin had been able to master. Sometimes he needed to talk through his feelings, which Obi-Wan was, admittedly, never very comfortable with. He'd tried his best to be available for Anakin, but he knew somewhere in the back of his mind that Anakin always felt like he was being judged. And, Obi-Wan had to admit, sometimes he _did_judge. Because Anakin was a Jedi, and Anakin should sometimes know better. But Anakin was still Anakin, and he was still Obi-Wan's friend.

"Was scared I'd lose you," Anakin murmured. "I did it so you wouldn't have to."

Obi-Wan swallowed a sudden lump in his throat. "I am capable of taking care of myself, you know," he managed to get out. He was, truly - he'd proven that not a handful of hours ago, after all. But the fact Anakin had consciously put himself at risk because of his desire to keep Obi-Wan safe was... well, it was unsurprising, but it was still troubling. It reeked of attachment, one of the cardinal rules of the Order.

Anakin nodded softly, reaching up and grabbing Obi-Wan's hand in his own. "I couldn't watch it happen to you," he said. "I just couldn't. I couldn't fail again."

Again. Anakin always referred to 'failing _again_', but Obi-Wan wasn't sure what the first failure was. He'd tried to get Anakin to tell him, but as open as the young man was about some things, he was remarkably tight-lipped about others. "Anakin..."

"I _love_you, Obi-Wan," Anakin announced suddenly, eyes shining. "I'll never let anything happen to you." Obi-Wan sighed; had Anakin's system not been swimming with whatever drugs MD had pumped into him, Obi-Wan was sure he would not have said it. He certainly may have felt it, but he would have known better than to admit it.

"I know," he said. He couldn't lecture, not now. He didn't have the energy, anyway. And besides... wouldn't he do the same for Anakin? Wouldn't he lay down his life for his friend? Of course he would, he just would never say it. It wasn't the Jedi way to admit such things. He could only imagine the look Master Yoda would level at him had he been present. "But Anakin, you have to take care of yourself. You realize..." He let out a breath, ran his free hand over his beard, then lowered it to cover the hand Anakin was using to clutch at him. "I would hate to lose you for something so simple."

"You're a good Jedi," Anakin replied. "I'm pretty sure you'd be okay. You got over Qui-Gon, didn't you?" As he said it, he winced as if realizing a line had been crossed.

"Qui-Gon's death was... painful," Obi-Wan said carefully. "And the only reason I was able to get over it at all was because of you."

"Your promise," Anakin spat, always a sore spot.

Obi-Wan shook his head and squeezed Anakin's hand. "No," he insisted. "You. And if I were to lose you, what would be left?" Life without Anakin, Obi-Wan had come to realize, would be torment. He would live, of course, and move on, but always with something missing, a part of himself that he would no longer carry with him.

"You could train Ahsoka," Anakin suggested, but the barb was tinged with a kind of relief. For all his bravado, Anakin did like to know he was cared for.

"How about you let Vokara Che do her job when we get back to Coruscant and then _you_can continue training her," Obi-Wan offered.

"I hate to break things up," came Ventress' voice from the hatchway, "but we'll be landing in about twenty minutes."

"Harpy," Anakin snarled under his breath, closing his eyes again.

Obi-Wan sighed, and followed Ventress into the cockpit.

88888

The Halls of Healing in the Jedi Temple were designed to bring tranquility and gentle energy to all who entered. Despite the beauty, Obi-Wan truly disliked (because to hate was not the Jedi way, of course) the place because it meant someone he cared about - or himself - was in pain.

Currently, though, Anakin was not in any pain, sunk deep in a Force-induced Healing trance. Even so, Obi-Wan paced, waiting for the venerable Master Healer to emerge and tell him something - anything. He knew now that Anakin would live, but that didn't make the wait any better.

Part of the time had been taken up by trying to convince Ventress to stay, to give the Jedi a chance to help her rebuild her life. She had, true to form, steadfastly refused and departed before anyone could see her. Obi-Wan knew, the same way he knew Maul and Oppress were not dead, that he would see her again. And perhaps someday he would bring her over to the light entirely because if there was hope for someone like Ventress, there was hope for anyone.

"Master Kenobi." Master Vokara Che's voice was like a wind through reeds, soothing and gentle- though Obi-Wan knew full well that could easily change. "You may visit Master Skywalker now, if you would like." She gestured for him to follow her. "He has tolerated the Healing process well," she said as they walked down the long vaulted hallway. "But I will recommend to the Council that he be kept off active duty for enough time for him to fully recover." She shook her head, long lekku wavering. "Though I get the feeling he will be making up his own mind on when he thinks he is recovered."

Obi-Wan frowned slightly. "Believe me, Master Che, he will be following your instructions to the letter. I will make sure of it." He certainly would, too. He was mighty tired of chasing Anakin around trying to get him to slow down enough to heal. This time, they would do it right from the start. Reaching Anakin's room, Obi-Wan gave Vokara Che a shallow bow and his thanks.

Anakin was feigning sleep when Obi-Wan entered, but Obi-Wan knew better. "Master Che says you're on the mend," he said, crossing his arms over his chest. "You'd best stay that way this time."

Anakin smirked and slid open his eyes. "I guess you're here to threaten me into staying until she gives the word."

"Threaten is such a strong word," Obi-Wan countered. "I was going to say 'cajole'." He lowered his arms and went to the bed. "You frighten me sometimes, you know."

Frowning, Anakin reached for Obi-Wan's hand. "Do I?"

Obi-Wan nodded, lacing his fingers through Anakin's. "I am... frightened of losing you," he admitted. Such a strong thing, fear; no wonder such a concern of the Council. Still, his and Anakin's fear for each other's safety did give them strength, in its own way. "I love you, Anakin, and I do not wish to experience what this galaxy would be like without you."

Anakin stared at him in surprise. "Do you have a concussion?" he asked, but the Force glowed with pleased warmth.

Obi-Wan chuckled. "Perhaps," he replied. "Or perhaps I should have said it all along. Maybe then you would have taken better care of yourself?"

Shaking his head, Anakin drew Obi-Wan's hand to his lips. "But then what would you worry about? I'm just keeping you on your toes, that's all."

With a sigh, Obi-Wan settled onto the edge of the bed. "There is no one I would rather worry about," he said. It was true. There was no other man he would rather have watching his back, no other man he would rather spend this blasted war beside. He and Anakin were the Team, and if Obi-Wan had anything to do with it, they always would be.


End file.
